LNG tanker completes repairs

LNG tanker completes repairs The U.S. Coast Guard said repairs have been completed on a liquefied natural gas tanker that lost power last week off the coast of Cape Cod.
   The ship was operating under its own power Friday and company officials were trying to determine whether it should complete a voyage to the Everett, Mass., terminal to offload gas from Trinidad and Tobago.
   Last Monday, Teekay Corp.’s Catalunya Spirit lost propulsion 35 miles east of Chatham, Mass. Tugs arrived on scene and gained control of the tanker well before it neared the shoals.
   After several days of troubleshooting, repair specialists determined that a malfunctioning boiler feed pump, which supplies water to the main propulsion boilers, caused Catalunya Spirit’s loss of power and propulsion.
   “We are completely satisfied that the Catalunya Spirit is ready to return to service,” said Coast Guard Capt. Gail Kulisch. “There has been a thorough review of every system on board the ship, and I’m very impressed with the vessel owner’s unprecedented commitment to fixing the problem.”
   Suez Distrigas, which runs the Everett terminal, sent another LNG tanker to Everett to replace the undelivered cargo on the Catalunya Spirit. A Boston Globe said company officials would meet with the Coast Guard to determine whether the first tanker will proceed to Everett with its cargo.